Spring for us means getting the dogs in for their heart worm checks and vaccine updates.  Lately whether to vaccinate or not has become a much debated topic.  There are some who assert that dogs in the US are over vaccinated because the benefit from many of the vaccines last longer than the year or even three years when a booster would be required.  In fact during the time we have owned dogs, the veterinary protocol for some vaccines has decreased from an annual booster to once every three years.  That bring us to the Leptospirosis vaccine which is an annual vaccine.

Let’s Talk Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection made up of spiral, or corkscrew-shaped bacteria which infiltrate the system by burrowing into the skin.  The bacteria can then spread throughout the dog’s body reproducing in the liver, kidneys, nervous system, eyes and reproductive system.  It is possible for the infection to clear, but the infection can also be fatal because it can settle in the kidneys or liver and continue to reproduce causing damage to those organs.

Dogs may come into contact with the leptospira bacteria through infected water, soil, or mud, while swimming, passing through, or drinking contaminated water, or from coming into contact with urine from an infected animal.  As you can imagine hunting dogs and dogs that spend time out in the field may be at a higher risk for infection, although it can also occur in more urban settings where it is believed to be spread by rodents.  Leptospirosis is zoonotic, meaning that it can be transmitted to humans and other animals.

Preventing Leptospirosis

Luckily in areas where the leptospira bacteria is prevalent, there is a vaccine available.  The downside to the vaccine is that it may not be 100% effective.  This can be true of any vaccine.  Also, there are different types of leptospira bacteria which occur less often and may not be included in the vaccine.  Finally, some dogs may have an adverse reaction to the immunization so whether or not to vaccinate is something that you should speak to your vet about before giving it.

Talk To Your Vet

Your vet is always the best source for discussing whether your dog needs a particular vaccine or not.  Presumably your dog has had regular veterinary care and you have developed a relationship with your vet.  He or she will know your dog the best and be in the best position to make recommendations about your dog’s health.  Far better than some blogger or even an “internet vet”.  You should always discuss your dog’s vaccine protocol with your own vet.

Let’s Talk Leptospirosis Vaccine For The Senior Dog

As I said, Spring is the time for us to review our dogs’ vaccinations.  The Leptospirosis vaccine came up because it is an annual vaccine and Thunder was due for it.  Thunder turned ten years old earlier this month.  We spent some time with our vet discussing whether it is beneficial for him to get the vaccine this year and if he should get it, when should he get it.

We hope that Thunder will be able to hunt in the Fall, but at ten you just never know.  He has slowed down a bit, but I cannot imagine him passing up a hunting trip.  So we discussed perhaps holding off on the vaccine for a bit.

But we have an excellent vet and she asked a couple more questions.  As many of you know, we spend time in farm fields doing some field training.  Also, we spend time up at our cabin with the dogs.  Both of these are places where Leptospirosis may be present and can be spread through wildlife.

She considered a bit and said: “I would feel terrible if I recommended against the vaccine and Thunder came down with the infection”.  We decided to err on the side of caution and give Thunder the booster.  We will review the need for re-immunization each year as he continues to age.

One other bit of information that our vet related to us about Leptospirosis is that one of her colleagues in vet school contracted it from a patient.  When it is said that Leptospirosis is a zoonotic, here is one concrete example.  This is just one more thing to consider when deciding whether or not to vaccinate.

Do you have any thoughts on vaccinating a senior dog?

Need more in-depth info about Leptospirosis?  See PetMD.